Little Falls transcript., 1887-05-27
The Old Scouts Sacrifice.
By NJ. VICTOR STA LEY.

By N. VICTOR STA LEY.
smoke which rises from behind yonder
hill?"
lhe question comes from a youth who
stands leaning on his rife beneath the
shade of dense growth of trees
which fringe the edge of (, small stream,
a tributary Of the Rio Grande, in the
Territory of Arizona The person adj
dressed is Jack Ankerney, ranchman
and prairie scout. H. i, heavily built
tall and strai ght as an arrow, a fine
specimen OF manhood. On his head
he wears q broad sombrero, while in
his belt glistens I. large bowie knife and
the usual brace OF revoIvers.
The young man whose query opens
this sketch is Dick Aryuson, a nephew
of the old scout, but lately arrived on
visit from the States. A. he asks the
question, the scout arises from the
grassy knoll on which he is reclining,
and gazcs in the direction indicated.
AICStltIS hS CACi>tlt1H. AHNIdAS,
Dick, or my name is not Jack Anker-
ney. They must be again on the war
path, for / can swear that is Capt.
Ration ranch.' Then more hurriedly,
Mount your nag, my boy, we must
ride over anu investigate.
But, as Dick starts to untcther the
ponies, the old scout again exclaims,
Hold! if am not mistaken, / beheld
q horseman just descend yonder rise in
the prairie.''
Taking small field glass from pock-
ct in his buckskin blouse, he looks
long and earnestly to the westward.
''It is as I thought. IT'S Capt. Ration,
and how fast he rides! All! he is pur-
sued. A band Of red rascals press hard
behind and he is heading straight for
this chaparal. He rides Whip-p poor
will, the fastest piece of horse-t1esh in
this section, and will out-distance them
. yet
Thus the moments fly, Dick and the
old scout anxiously watching the ex-
citing race. On, on, DER the prairie
come the pursuers and pursued, the
distance between them slowly widen
ing as Whip-poor-wIll bears his rider
forward.
IIa, ha, ha!7 laughs the scout,
''you may as we'll turn back nay red
friends, for your prey is eluding your
grasp
But, even as he speaks. the noble
animal pitches forward and falls heavi-
~ to the ground The CAPTAIN leaps
to his feet and. seeing that his horse is
too badly injured to be of further SER
wee, quickly puts Il ball through his
brain to end its sut1erings. and, turn
ing, speeds on toward the chapar;l
His p,rsuers, realizing his misfortune,
with ,'lls of triumph urge their ponies
ON win new zeal.
&C., your rifle, Dick,' exclams the
scout. and We'll give those red
devils warm reception
Meanwhile the CaDtian, now close
enough to observe that friends are
near, speeds on with renewed courage.
His pursuers, who before seemed
bent on capture, now realizing that
he is likely to escape. unslng their
rifles and fire repeatedly 1T their in
tended victim who is making every
endeavor to reach the friendly cover.
On, on, he comes, the bullets whist
ling around him yet without taking
effect.
As his pursuers draw nearer. howev-
er, their aim becomes more certain;
and, Just as he reaches the edge of the
timber, he receives a wound in the leg
and falls forward into the arms of the
old scout outstretched to receive him,
who, after bearing him to safe shell
ter, selects large tree and from its
friendly cover watches the approach OF
the dusky warriors.
AS they arrive within easy range OF
his rifle be sings out to Dick to give
them charge, while he also takes de-
ton of bringing q redskin from his sad
die. Dick fires at the same moment
but without apparent effect. The In
dians return the fire, but evidently
realizing that they are held at a disad'
, vantage, and not knowing the number
of their concealed foes, after riding tC
a safe distance and engaging in short
parley, turn, and carrying with them
their dead eomrade ride back Ger the
trail. ,.s...'.@
Waiting only long enough n to ascertain
taht they do not intend to return. Dick
and the scout turn to look after the
: Captain. They find him just recover
ing consciousness, and. upon examina
tion, they discover that the charge ha:
produced but flesh wound, the Cap
tain having fallen more from exhaust
ion than from any other cause. H.
SWELL. old man, you have had mar
row escape" exclaimed the old scout
when the Captain was able to speak
What has happened over your way?
Thus questioned. the Captain relates
the incidents that led to his exciting
race. ~ - .-.s 4 :. S>5 S.s.5e,
He had been hunting, and was return,
ing. when riding in view of his ranch
he beheld the red marauders in tn
act of firing his home; while in thei
midst . prisoner, stood his daughter